Default Commala 4

[HobbyCore]

This is the first theme that I've found that I like better than the default. The big meters mode in this is just PERFECT.

Thank you!

[Commala]

Originally Posted by cincikat69

I went through and deleted a lot of unnecessary duplicate files...the total size is now under 2mb and it loads quick, and everything works and looks as it should. I also made some quick corrections in the code, like layouts that weren't pointing to the correct fader colors, and other little things. I'll send it to you, if you like. And, I hope you don't mind me digging around and making the corrections...just intending to help out. (~:

By all means! This is exciting, I don't mind. Could you dropbox the file and send me a link in a PM?

[Commala]

Originally Posted by HobbyCore

This is the first theme that I've found that I like better than the default. The big meters mode in this is just PERFECT.

Thank you!

You are welcome, and thank you for the compliment. Although I must say, technically this is the same theme, just with some tweaks to my taste.

The big meters I am deciding whether to use the small MSR button as in the Condensed TCP layout, so it will be more compact. But if it is already perfect, maybe I had best leave it ?

[HobbyCore]

Originally Posted by Commala

You are welcome, and thank you for the compliment. Although I must say, technically this is the same theme, just with some tweaks to my taste.

We have similar tastes then, as I quite like the default theme... I just dislike the layouts and the lack of contrast. (I'm using the light version btw)

The big meters I am deciding whether to use the small MSR button as in the Condensed TCP layout, so it will be more compact. But if it is already perfect, maybe I had best leave it ?

That maybe a good idea actually?

[Commala]

Originally Posted by HobbyCore

W
That maybe a good idea actually?

Yes, could be Nothing is ever perfect, but we can always try.

[Paulmer]

Originally Posted by Commala

I think you downloaded the "full version" from the dropbox link, or possibly an older version. Instead, download this https://stash.reaper.fm/22853/Default...ReaperThemeZip and double click it. Reaper should open with the theme loaded.

If you really want to use the full version (it has way too many pngs to be put in a ReaperThemeZip and used normally) then you'll have to extract the files to your Reaper/Colorthemes folder.
.

thanks

[cincikat69]

Originally Posted by Commala

By all means! This is exciting, I don't mind. Could you dropbox the file and send me a link in a PM?

Cool...on it's way (~:

[Commala]

I updated both themes with some work I did on the transport. The transport can be shrunk down further when in floating or docked position, and the playrate control no longer disappears when tempo and time signature controls are hidden on the transport interface. Now, the playrate control is only hidden when set to be hidden.

Also, the selection field has been further enlarged to allow hours:minutes:seconds:samples to be displayed in full with the font size increased as it is.

[overdark]

Great theme, only just discovered it. I was wondering if there are any particular "recommended" settings so that I can make it look more like your screenshots?

[Commala]

Originally Posted by overdark

Great theme, only just discovered it. I was wondering if there are any particular "recommended" settings so that I can make it look more like your screenshots?

"Clickable icon for folder tracks to show/hide children" must be enabled. This is disabled in a fresh Reaper install. It's in the mixer context menu (right-click on the master MCP track)

Tint strength for selected media item background: 4 and Unselected: 2

I also use a Windows theme that has grey menubar and windowframes. The FX in Reaper that use native OS gui elements will look completely different depending on your Windows theme. There are some nice ones out there, but some require jumping through hoops to install. I am using Adobulated in those screenshots, but I didn't make that theme so I don't feel right distributing it.

[Commala]

Originally Posted by rothchild

It may not be as smooth but the ordering looks really good and I like the fact that your items are right hand edge attached (so move from the left hand end) I don't like them disapearing from the right hand end in the new theme.

Oh I didn't notice this post! For the Condensed TCP I tried to be consistent with the other v4 layouts, which all have the right hand edge attached. I also wanted it to work primarily in a single row that could be extended to show nearly every control. Everything else in the layout follows from that, so the behaviour with more than one row may seem somewhat quirky.

Naturally, a small amount of familiarization is in order, but I think it strikes a good balance. I'm glad you like it, thank you

[gwok]

hey Commala,

I made a little screencap about some theming and layout ideas. I just thought I'd share it with you as we have had some chats about layouts and stuff a while back. I haven't been on the forums lately, and I'm a bit out of touch, so apologies for just barging in with my 2 cents. Now that i'm back in reaperland though I these are some things i had noticed that I thought worth mentioning. - cheers!!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jw2tfy1gtf...nFlow.mp4?dl=0

[Commala]

Originally Posted by gwok

hey Commala,

I made a little screencap about some theming and layout ideas. I just thought I'd share it with you as we have had some chats about layouts and stuff a while back. I haven't been on the forums lately, and I'm a bit out of touch, so apologies for just barging in with my 2 cents. Now that i'm back in reaperland though I these are some things i had noticed that I thought worth mentioning. - cheers!!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jw2tfy1gtf...nFlow.mp4?dl=0

Hey, I think it's very cool that you took the time to make this video.

I agree that the meters/faders should be sized equally so as to be comparable. It's difficult in this theme because of the variety of layouts. You're using the default MCP for track folders, and narrow MCP layout for the tracks inside. There isn't any way to reconcile these two layouts so their meters are the same size when the track heights are leveled without completely changing their composition. Typically, best practice is to use one type of layout for all tracks that you want to be able to compare visually. Why don't you use narrow MCP for the parents as well? You could differentiate between parent/child using fader colour.

That said, I think I could do something about the misalignment you pointed out between narrow and default MCP if I were to eliminate the word "I/O" from the I/O button and simply leave Master, Send, and Receive. This would allow the two layouts to be in line across the top. It would be neater, but it still wouldn't align the meters, so I'm not sure if this is worthwhile.

However, I'm glad you pointed out the strange jumping behaviour of the narrow MCP, this is something I had noticed but forgot to investigate. I don't know why that happens, hopefully it is something I can fix.

I believe that the fader positions can tell as much of a story as the meters. Some would argue the fader positions are more important than the meters, depending on how you gain-stage, because the meters only display peaks and don't really relate to the loudness. With volume knobs, you can't see the horizontal 'shape' of your mix like you can with faders.

This is also the reason I made the meter on the FX Rack layout so small, because I felt that a horizontal meter in the MCP isn't going to provide a sense of the relative meter activity between tracks. Instead, I made that layout all about the space for inserts, sends, and fx parameters.

Nevertheless I can make a layout to your specification and post the code here so anyone can use it, I just don't know if I would change it in the theme proper. I assume you could copy the code to your rtconfig if I were to do this? How would that look, FX rack with meter on top and full width, and controls on top as well, followed by the inserts etc?

Another point you brought up is the shrinking behaviour of the default MCP (4:30). What did you mean exactly? Would you rather see more priority given to the meter and fader etc, and less to the pan, I/O and FX button area?

Regarding the big meter MCP and how the meters 'connect'. I agree, and I've been in the process of making a couple of new layouts that have been on the back burner. One is an altered version of the Rec Meter MCP from the default theme, with more access to controls, and the other is more like Big Meter MCP but less wide, with a 'meter bridge' look-feel. I still don't know that I would remove the fader, however.

[gwok]

Hey Commala, thanks for checking it out. Hopefully it didn't come off as too harsh it didn't seem you took it that way.

Originally Posted by Commala

H

Why don't you use narrow MCP for the parents as well? You could differentiate between parent/child using fader colour.

the narrow meters have the wierdest snapping logic. Even not in relation to the other layouts, they do the wierdest stuff when resizing the mixer height, hiding the FX section etc.

I agree, to some the meters aren't as important. Personally, I like nice fat meters that tell me easily what is making sound, but that is only my preference.

Another point you brought up is the shrinking behaviour of the default MCP (4:30). What did you mean exactly? Would you rather see more priority given to the meter and fader etc, and less to the pan, I/O and FX button area?

yes, I like to have really small mcp heights, and have the mixer docked with the main window. All the layouts (except your mod of mine) are not so good at these hieghts. The meters and faders are pretty much completely disfunctional, and the I/O panels and pan knob etc take up a huge amount of room in comparison (imo). https://db.tt/niCM5q9w

Speaking of which, obvioulsy you mod is way nicer than my original, so I wasn't meaning to be harsh or unappreciative. More just pointing out what I see as the critical information.

As you say, and I agree, what is critical information depends on the person and the tasks they're performing, so it changes for everyone. If you felt inclined to incorporate any of these ideas (not just for me, but just for general usability) I think what I'm really about is just 1 or 2 layouts that aren't too wide (narrow layout width is nice), have nice fat meters, resize well and play well with any other layouts that they are meant to be used with. Like a metering layout and an effect layout (similar to your mod).

Anyway, those are some thoughts. I know we've had some good dialogues in the past, that's why I brought it up with you, not as a specific request, but just as a discussion anyway. Besides I like your theme and is the only one I switched from since the defualt 4. Happy to discuss more if anything comes to mind!

Thanks!!

[Commala]

Originally Posted by gwok

Speaking of which, obvioulsy you mod is way nicer than my original, so I wasn't meaning to be harsh or unappreciative.

No worries, truly

Originally Posted by gwok

I think what I'm really about is just 1 or 2 layouts that aren't too wide (narrow layout width is nice), have nice fat meters, resize well and play well with any other layouts that they are meant to be used with. Like a metering layout and an effect layout (similar to your mod).

Narrow layout width and fat meters, I wouldn't think these are compatible concepts. I mean that the meters couldn't really be very fat. But they could be wider if I went for volume knob instead of fader. Is this what you mean?

Also, the new layouts could probably be made to be compatible and align well with each other, but it's a stretch to get them compatible with the current layouts in the Default v4 theme, as they already exhibit scaling behaviour that you don't prefer. In order to shrink in a more efficient way, they would necessarily break out of alignment with the other layouts in some way (the meter, FX and IO area spring to mind).

[Commala]

I discovered the cause of the Narrow MCP jumping, if you want to take it into your own hands - there is a line in the Walter for that layout

set mcp.extmixer.mode h<500 [1] [0]

Comment this line out or erase it and the layout will remain in line with the others as you shrink it.

[gwok]

Originally Posted by Commala

Narrow layout width and fat meters, I wouldn't think these are compatible concepts. I mean that the meters couldn't really be very fat. But they could be wider if I went for volume knob instead of fader. Is this what you mean?

ya pretty much

Originally Posted by Commala

Also, the new layouts could probably be made to be compatible and align well with each other, but it's a stretch to get them compatible with the current layouts in the Default v4 theme, as they already exhibit scaling behaviour that you don't prefer. .

ya, that makes sense.

ah! great! the mod works nice, thanks!

[Commala]

Originally Posted by gwok

ah! great! the mod works nice, thanks!

Hm? I'm talking here about making new layouts, but I don't know if they will necessarily align with the existing layouts. One for metering, one for FX rack, they could look good together, but if they are to be optimum then they can't be held back by what the old layouts do, necessarily.

[gwok]

Originally Posted by Commala

Hm? I'm talking here about making new layouts, but I don't know if they will necessarily align with the existing layouts. One for metering, one for FX rack, they could look good together, but if they are to be optimum then they can't be held back by what the old layouts do, necessarily.

sorry I meant the mod for the narrow layout - set mcp.extmixer.mode h<500 [1] [0]

As far as the old layouts, I'm not concerned if they play well with these - is that what you mean?

[Commala]

Originally Posted by gwok

sorry I meant the mod for the narrow layout - set mcp.extmixer.mode h<500 [1] [0]

As far as the old layouts, I'm not concerned if they play well with these - is that what you mean?

Yes, exactly.

I'm interested to know what your particular order of priority is for the MCP controls? Meter is important, and you said in the video that you wouldn't mind a smaller pan knob by default. You've said you rather the IO, FX and Rec input section not take as much priority, but how should it go? What do you think of the way that section is made smaller in the FX rack layout I did based on your concept? Is that alright?

[gwok]

Originally Posted by Commala

Yes, exactly.

I'm interested to know what your particular order of priority is for the MCP controls? Meter is important, and you said in the video that you wouldn't mind a smaller pan knob by default. You've said you rather the IO, FX and Rec input section not take as much priority, but how should it go? What do you think of the way that section is made smaller in the FX rack layout I did based on your concept? Is that alright?

Ya, a slider for pan is fine. The I/O to me doesnt need to be any bigger than mute or solo. And that drop down menu for input i dont think is necessary, as it's usually hidden anyway.

For your FX layout, ya, I guess it would depend on if it was all placed on the bottom or top, and the track width. And as well any aesthetic concerns with the other layouts as far as cohesiveness and alignment. I'd say yours scrunches down real nice at small heights. I think the pan and rec arm take up more space then needed. and again that drop down input menu is not necessary to me.

hmmm, getting there?

[gwok]

i guess one consideration i never accounted for is that an fx layout and metering layout would by definition not play well together as far as meter alignment - hmmm have to think on that

edit - i guess as long an the fx layout looked cohesive as a group, then that is fine, the meters themselves dont/can't align to the metering layout - though as a group (say 8 tracks) it'd be nice to still for the meters to give some sort of cohesive overview - even if they are horizontal

[gwok]

with that narrow layout mod, this is starting to look nice as far as cohesion. Nice and clear what is parent and child. All my other concerns about meters and sizes of elements (seems pretty cluttered too?)still apply, but regardless you can see it is clear what is happening folder-wise.


https://www.dropbox.com/s/oj8yftxc39...56.59.png?dl=0

though this would be a typical track height ehere - https://www.dropbox.com/s/eh9svy6ise...00.33.png?dl=0

[Commala]

Originally Posted by gwok

Ya, a slider for pan is fine. The I/O to me doesnt need to be any bigger than mute or solo. And that drop down menu for input i dont think is necessary, as it's usually hidden anyway.

For your FX layout, ya, I guess it would depend on if it was all placed on the bottom or top, and the track width. And as well any aesthetic concerns with the other layouts as far as cohesiveness and alignment. I'd say yours scrunches down real nice at small heights. I think the pan and rec arm take up more space then needed. and again that drop down input menu is not necessary to me.

hmmm, getting there?

I'm surprised that you don't like the record input box, as I find it very useful to see that information. But it's not the only way to access those settings (right-clicking on the meter or record arm button also displays that menu). On the other hand, it disappears in the current FX rack layout when you shrink the MCP (part of the reason the layout gets somewhat out of alignment with the others). So I might keep it in there and it will appear when the layout is extended.

As for the IO section, I could use the small square MRS button I made for the Condensed TCP layout, that could save some space.

Placing the meter at the top of the fx rack layout will also prevent alignment between it and the meter layout, I'm thinking. So maybe if the meter on the fx rack were larger, full width, but still at the bottom. It also makes more sense that way in terms of signal flow, because the meter is post-fx.

[gwok]

Originally Posted by Commala

I'm surprised that you don't like the record input box, as I find it very useful to see that information.

never used it once

Originally Posted by Commala

Placing the meter at the top of the fx rack layout will also prevent alignment between it and the meter layout, I'm thinking. So maybe if the meter on the fx rack were larger, full width, but still at the bottom. It also makes more sense that way in terms of signal flow, because the meter is post-fx.

sure! i'm game - disregard my above comment

[Commala]

You might be interested to download Default Commala 4 Light and take the mcp_namebg.png and mcp_fcomp_off.png and mcp_fcomp_tiny.png and put them in your theme mod's main directory. That will make your folder parents (the bottom of the light layouts) look a bit neater. I just noticed from your screenshots that the folder parents are using pngs from an older version - I've since cleaned it up a bit.

[Commala]

Originally Posted by gwok

with that narrow layout mod, this is starting to look nice as far as cohesion. Nice and clear what is parent and child. All my other concerns about meters and sizes of elements (seems pretty cluttered too?)still apply, but regardless you can see it is clear what is happening folder-wise.


https://www.dropbox.com/s/oj8yftxc39...56.59.png?dl=0

though this would be a typical track height ehere - https://www.dropbox.com/s/eh9svy6ise...00.33.png?dl=0

I'll see if I can't widen the meter and change the IO button on this layout, for a start. See if that makes a difference in uncluttering things at low track height. I'll post the code here.

[gwok]

awesome.

[alienbee]

I love this theme!!

[kgboi]

Hi friends. Help me please somebody send me setting configuration the I imported. The screenset is changed completely as well as hotkeys Help me how can I make default setting as before. even I uninstall no change Thanks

[sunkingzx]

thank you for this theme its great!!

[Commala]

Originally Posted by alienbee

I love this theme!!

Originally Posted by sunkingzx

thank you for this theme its great!!

Thank you both, I'm glad you like it. It's good to have some way to give back.

Here's a preview of the new narrow layout I'm making. I still need to adjust the shrinking behaviour to favour controls and meter over panners.

[sinkmusic]

Yes, Commala 4 is very good.
Thank you very much for creating and sharing it.

[gwok]

those looks nice!!!

[alienbee]

Originally Posted by Commala

Thank you both, I'm glad you like it. It's good to have some way to give back.

Here's a preview of the new narrow layout I'm making. I still need to adjust the shrinking behaviour to favour controls and meter over panners.

it gets better!?

looking awesome!

[chip mcdonald]

Originally Posted by Commala

Thank you both, I'm glad you like it. It's good to have some way to give back.

Here's a preview of the new narrow layout I'm making. I still need to adjust the shrinking behaviour to favour controls and meter over panners.

Yes, please.

[Swamp Ape]

Damn that does look really sleek and useful. I continue to be impressed with your ideas.

[gwok]

Hey Commala, do those layouts still have the fx and send visible up above the meters?

[Nikomacpro]

Hi. It is possible change the font color in MCP and TCP?

[gwok]

hey, I'd love to test out those layouts if you felt like posting the walter code